


If I Fall Back Down

by JasmineTeaLatte



Series: Where the Spirit Meets the Bones [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Dancing, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Inspired by Music, ZK Drabble December 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27977748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasmineTeaLatte/pseuds/JasmineTeaLatte
Summary: There were many things about Zuko that she found attractive - he was sweet and intelligent and incredibly cute, if she was being perfectly honest.He was the tall, mysterious, occasionally broody man of mystery most girls daydreamed about, herself included...So it was just her luck that she absolutely *hated* his taste in music.~*~*~Written for ZK Drabble December 2020, Day 11: Falling With You
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Where the Spirit Meets the Bones [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071038
Comments: 12
Kudos: 69
Collections: ZK Drabble December 2020





	If I Fall Back Down

**Author's Note:**

> I reeeeally tried to keep this less than 1K words for the drabble challenge, but... oh well. I’m playing by my own rules here. If I've learned anything from writing this, it's that I'm wordy and incapable of keeping my fics short.
> 
> Enjoy!

There were many things about Zuko that she found attractive - he was sweet and intelligent and incredibly cute, if she was being perfectly honest.

Even though he was her older brother’s best friend, he never once made Katara feel unimportant and offered on several occasions to protect her should the need ever arise.

Plus, she’d lowkey crushed on him these last few semesters or so at Ba Sing Se University, even though she’d never acted on it. Besides, he probably just saw her as nothing more than a bratty kid, anyways.

He was the tall, mysterious, occasionally broody man of mystery most girls daydreamed about, herself included...

So it was just her luck that she absolutely _hated_ his taste in music.

Katara wrinkled her nose in distaste as she examined the cover of one of his older CDs, which featured a bunch of disgruntled-looking gentlemen glaring at the camera. 

“Zuko, seriously. What is up with the music you listen to? Why does everyone seem so mad all the time?”

He paused, grinning when he saw the album in her hand.

“Come on, they’re a classic!” he protested, plucking it from her grasp. “The ultimate anti-establishment rock band. How can you turn your nose up at them?”

Katara snorted, and he scowled lightly down at her.

“What?”

“Don’t you feel weird sometimes that you listen to this kind of stuff about bringing down The Man, considering you grew up rich?”

“Look, I can’t help that my father is the ex-Fire Nation president, okay?” he huffed, folding his arms. “He got away with too many terrible things while in office, especially concerning me and the rest of my family...”

She held up her palms in an effort to placate him.

“Sorry, sorry...”

Sometimes she forgot just how messed up his family was, given how little he talked about them.

Thankfully, though, he wasn’t offended by her momentary lack of tact - just her lack of appreciation for his music collection.

“You’re right, sorry, I didn’t even think about it like that,” she said again soothingly as he raised his good eyebrow in mild amusement. “It’s just-”

“If you say it’s _ironic_ like that stupid song from several decades ago, our friendship is over,” he snarked with a wicked smirk, earning him a playful swat on the shoulder.

Katara rolled her eyes.

“Don’t be a jerk, that song is what you'd call a _classic_ ,” she teased, hip-checking him. “Besides, I was going to say you being so openly rebellious against that royal lifestyle… it’s unusual.”

“Unusual?” he asked, his lips quirking upwards.

“Yeah, but in a good way,” she insisted, offering her most disarming smile, which he returned.

When Zuko invited her to swing by his apartment earlier that day, Katara had no idea her casual visit would turn into a heated debate revolving around music tastes.

Or in her case, apparent lack thereof, according to Mr. I Only Listen to Angry Music that Rails Against Society.

(Granted, there was a small overlap of bands and artists they both enjoyed, but it was slim.)

The conversation started out innocuously enough, discussing which music festivals they wanted to see the following summer. Then she’d teased him about how his favorite bands only perpetuated the idea that he was always grumpy, and it quickly devolved from there.

Eventually they found themselves rummaging though his music collection, and each time she pointed out an album that only proved her argument, he was quick to counter it.

“Okay, what about them?” she asked, gesturing to a case with a black and yellow skull plastered on the cover that resembled the hooded skull on his black t-shirt.

She wasn’t surprised when he explained they were the forefathers of the horror punk subgenre or something creepy like that, and he’d had to concede defeat on that particular group.

“But they’re _legendary_ , Katara, many current artists cite them as inspiration to this day,” he insisted. “Anyways, I know there’s got to be a band in here that you’ll like.”

“Only if I can dance to it. I like music that makes me dance.”

“You’re on,” he declared, digging around in his collection once more.

 _Well this should be entertaining_ , she thought with a grin.

Katara settled herself down on the edge of his bed, absentmindedly humming one of her favorite songs about beautiful strangers who were sour yet somehow sweet... not unlike Zuko, she supposed wistfully.

He paused after a few moments and tilted his head in her direction, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.

“What are you humming?” 

She paused and grinned. 

“I’d tell you, but you probably wouldn’t like it,” she said, nudging his shoulder playfully.

He winked his good eye at her.

“Try me.”

Intrigued, she softly sang a few more verses, and he looked thoughtful once she reached the chorus about feeling safe enough to fall in love.

When she finished singing, he shrugged.

“I dunno, it’s not so bad...”

Before she could ask him who he was and what he’d done with the real Zuko, he continued.

“...for a cheesy pop song, that is.”

There it was. 

She poked his side where she knew he was ticklish and laughed when he yelped in protest.

~*~*~

Finally he held up an album and waved it triumphantly.

“Aha! I bet you money that you’ll like some of their stuff, especially the song I’m about to play.”

“Really.”

“Yup. You inspired me earlier.”

Katara said nothing, deciding to keep an open mind as the sound of guitar twangs and rumblings of a bass soon filled the air.

Once the song picked up and the singer’s gruff voice washed over them, though, she had to admit it was fairly catchy. She even found herself tapping her foot along to the beat, and she rolled her eyes after noticing his smirk of triumph.

“Okay fine, they’re alright,” she caved. “I take it they’re one of your favorites?”

He nodded.

“I listened to this song a lot after my last breakup,” he admitted. “It got me through a lot of dark times growing up, too.”

To her surprise, he stood and offered her his hand.

“Want to dance?”

She raised her eyebrow and grinned.

“To this?”

“Why not? Are you saying you can’t dance to punk rock?"

“Oh, shut up,” she retorted, taking his hand. “You gonna dance with me, or not?”

She let out a squeak when he spun her around and dipped her _low_ , his warm palm holding her inches above the floor below.

“Please,” he chuckled. “As if I’d actually let you fall.”

Katara grinned up at him.

“So what you’re saying is, just like the song, if I fall back down you’re going to help me back up again?”

“Exactly.”

He picked her back up and they continued dancing, albeit clumsily given the music's quick tempo. She soon found herself swept away as he held her close, her heart racing each time their eyes met. 

Once the song was over, he dipped her again, and this time she laughed when she felt herself go weightless in his arms.

“You’re right, I liked them,” she admitted, her fingertips tapping against his arm as he carefully pulled her back upright. “Do they have any other stuff I’d be into?”

He smiled almost shyly and tapped buttons on his stereo until another fast-paced song started roaring through the speakers.

“I really like this one,” he said softly, spinning her around again. “I think you’ll like it too.”

She nodded and allowed herself to be caught up in the music as they resumed dancing – at least until it ended less than two minutes later.

“That was quick,” she said, pouting up at him.

Zuko shrugged.

“Most punk songs are. Want to hear it again?”

“Only if you explain why they’re saying this girl is automatic. What does that even mean?”

He grinned - he had the sweetest grin when he was actually happy, she thought, and she got butterflies each time she saw it.

“I think it means she makes him feel special in a way that no one else does,” he said softly beside her ear a few moments later, and she shivered in spite of herself.

If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought he...

Huh. Might as well test that theory out, right?

She ignored her pounding heart and rested her head on his shoulder as he swayed her around, just like in the song lyrics.

To her immense satisfaction, she heard him gulp and felt his heartbeat hammering against her chest while he held her close.

“So…” she said, swallowing her nerves as the song came to a close and repeated itself, “since you’d do the same for me... if you fall like in that other song, I’ll help you back up again.”

His golden eyes sparkled as he grinned down at her.

"Is that so?"

Katara bit her lower lip and willed her voice not to squeak when she spoke, all too aware of the weight of his warm arms around her. 

"Although... like my song earlier, I'm wondering if it's finally safe for me to fall," she admitted quietly, ducking her head.

Her eyes squeezed shut, waiting for him to pull away at the last minute. What if it had all been a misunderstanding on her part? 

“Then I guess I’m falling with you.”

Time seemed to slow, and she hoped her stunned facial expression didn't look too stupid as her head whipped upwards.

“Really?” she whispered, sapphire eyes meeting golden, and he nodded. “How long?”

Suddenly, he looked exactly as nervous as she felt.

"From the very beginning," he breathed, not looking away even as he swallowed.

 _Oh_ , she thought weakly.

Well, then.

She stood on her tiptoes and timidly pressed her lips to his for a heartbeat, hardly daring to breathe until she pulled away, keeping her eyes closed.

Once she settled back on her feet again, her lashes fluttered open and she ventured a shy smile up at him, feeling her cheeks flush pink.

He gazed down at her intently for what seemed like ages before a warm smile overtook his normally harsh features, and he let out a deep breath.

Then his mouth crashed against hers once more, hungry and desperate.

Her hands found themselves tangled up in his hair, as his arms pulled her in even closer...

... and both of them forgot about the music entirely as they finally allowed themselves to fall together.

**Author's Note:**

> My head canon? Modern Zuko would absolutely love punk / metal / hard rock and hum along to The Misfits while caring for his pet turtleduck that he rescued from the animal shelter. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Katara likes a nice blend of everything - hip/hop, pop, dance, some (lighter) rock bands, etc. After this, he introduces her to the riot grrrl genre and she is HOOKED.
> 
> I was inspired by listening to a couple of my favorite Rancid songs (Fall Back Down and She’s Automatic) and Halsey's Finally/Beautiful Stranger, which are all referenced in this fic for kicks and giggles. Also I know "Fall Back Down" isn't a love song, but I dare you to listen to it and *not* want to dance. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
